Masquerade
by Nynalba
Summary: What do the eternal rivals do in the evening when they find themselves alone in their flats? Push-ups for one? Reading for the other? Not so sure. WARNING: this is NOT yaoi!


**Masquerade**

The sun was already low when Maito Gai and Hatake Kakashi arrived in front of the door to their respective flats.

"How much does it make now? 93 to 94! Be sure I'll beat you next time, eternal rival!" Bruce Lee's copy exclaimed in his usual loud way, putting on his winner smile.

"Hmm. See ya!" the above-mentioned rival answered before retreating into his flat. The fervent defender of eternal youth did the same.

After closing the door behind him, Gai took off his vest, his sandals and his smile. He then went to the kitchen. He actually liked cooking. At first, it had kept his mind occupied and he finally had grown to enjoy it. Then, he just refused to live on desiccated food and ready meals like Kakashi probably did. Tonight though, he would just heat up the leftovers from the day before.

When he finished eating, he headed for the bathroom. He scrutinized his smileless face in the mirror. He was tired. Being over-motivated and exuberant all day long was tiring. And he was getting old for that stuff. With time, he had come to realize that eternal youth was something to tend towards but never reachable. He brushed his teeth, washed his face and put on some anti-wrinkle cream: something to tend towards as long as possible.

In his room, he took off his green outfit. He was getting old for that stuff too. And the bright green colour seemed to give him headaches lately. But there was Lee who needed someone to look up to, someone to project his own self through, someone who would just be there for him. And that suit was part of him now, part of the package, part of the energetic and loud guy people were used to. Might as well ask Kakashi to stop wearing his mask.

He intently looked at his naked body in the glass. It was healthy and muscular but only meant for his own eyes. He wasn't successful with the fair sex, unlike Kakashi. He could often hear the moans coming from his neighbour's flat at night. Sometimes it would wake him up and, some other times, he would wait for them to fill the silence of his own room.

He wasn't sure he felt like doing his hundred push-ups tonight. This exercise, which had turned into a habit and a ritual, helped him drop off to sleep without too much thinking.

He wondered what Kakashi was doing in the evening when there were no ladies with him. Probably reading one of his books. He really had nothing else to do than read the same books over and over.

Maybe he would ask him to have dinner with him tomorrow if he was alone.

Gai put himself into bed and turned the light off. He just didn't feel like doing his push-ups tonight.

* * *

After closing the door behind him, Kakashi took off his vest , his sandals, his headband and pulled down his mask. He then went to the kitchen. He had never been good at cooking and he didn't really want to bother about it. So tonight, he would heat up some ready meal as usual.

When he finished eating, he headed for the bathroom. He scrutinized his maskless face in the mirror. With or without the piece of cloth, it didn't really change anything. He had started wearing it thinking it would hide who he was but what it hid was merely a piece of flesh. His mask gave away the shape of his lower face and his smile anyway. With time, he had come to realize that the eyes were the most telling part of a face and that another type of mask was needed to hide under. He brushed his teeth and washed his face.

In his room, he took off his jounin outfit and made the bed which still bore witness of the previous wild night. His mask probably contributed to the cool and mysterious aura that surrounded him in people's eyes, especially women's, and it made them long for him and give themselves to him more surely than if he had never worn it. That was one of the reasons he kept on putting it on, that and the fact that it was a part of him now. Might as well ask Gai to stop wearing his green spandex suit.

He eyed the book on his bedside table. He wasn't sure he felt like reading tonight. This occupation, which had turned into a habit, helped him drop off to sleep without too much thinking when his other pastime was at a standstill.

He wondered if Gai ever had some of these wild nights and what he could be doing in the evening alone in his flat. Probably a crazy amount of push-ups. He never seemed to stop and always appeared to be in top form: no need to ask him how he was.

Maybe he would ask him tomorrow anyway.

Kakashi put himself into bed and turned the light off. He just didn't feel like reading tonight.

**The idea for this one-shot came to me last night and just wouldn't leave me alone... It's short but it felt just right to me that way. Please, tell me how you felt about it as it is my first one-shot. Thanks for reading :)**


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